Page 63 of Villainous Soul

“You always refer to Dearil as if you and he are separate beings,” Leonard said cunningly.

I shifted uncomfortably at the use of the beast’s name. I had never once talked of him or said his name out loud.

“You didn’t think I knew about your kelpie king?”

“Make your point,” I said under my breath. “My patience is wearing very thin.”

“You are the same. He is you, and you are him. Not everyone gets a true king. It is rare. Kings are meant to rule, yet you throw it away so easily.”

He didn’t speak from envy but from experience. I could hear it in his voice. The burden of responsibility. “Then why have you thrown it away?”

“I didn’t. Things have shifted, and I don’t think I will be here much longer. It’s imperative that you rise up, or you risk losing everything. You need to keep Evie away from all of this. She is in danger.”

I turned back toward him. “I’ll ask this again is that a threat or a warning? What else do you have up that deceptive sleeve of yours?”

“Neither, it’s the truth. As long as she is associated with you, something could happen to her.”

“Well, good thing we are getting divorced then.”

“You’ve lost your focus, and you’re in over your head.” Leonard’s nostrils flared. “You’re not ready for Bilderberg.”

“No, my focus is very clear,” I scoffed. “More than you can imagine.”

“What about the Evie?”

“She was just the means to an end.” I pushed the door harder than necessary, only to find it was already open, and Evie was on the other side. Her eyes were round with horror. She had heard my last comment.

ChapterTwenty-Four

EVIE

Imade my way down the airstairs from the plane. Keir had tried to explain himself several times, but in the end, I went into the bedroom and shut the door. I had been a fool. He really was the monster he claimed to be. The only positive thing I had going for today was that Mac had been able to stop the tabloids from printing any stories or damning photos on the divorce.

“Evie,” Keir said, following me down.

I shook my head. “There’s nothing to say.”

“Patrick texted me. He wants you to go directly to the pub. I told him I would take you.”

“I’ll get my own ride.” I bit my lip, hoping to hold the tears at bay.

“Evie, I told you, I only said that to get Leonard off my back.”

“It didn’t sound that way to me,” I said. “Besides I was always just a means to an end. You were right, we should have had a contract.

He took hold of my arm, turning me so I had to look at him. “I promise you it’s the truth. Leonard was spouting nonsense at me. I shouldn’t have answered him the way I did.”

I took out my phone to order a rideshare and he grabbed it from me. “I’ll drive you. And you need to unblock Patrick. I know you’re mad at him but it’s dangerous that he can’t get a hold of you.”

“Regardless of how this ends between us, we need to go our separate ways,” I reminded him. “It’s best if it’s a clean break.”

“I’m still giving you a ride home.” He took me by the shoulder, leading me over to his Aston Martin. I got in and he shut the door, coming around to the driver’s side.

It was going on noon and the California sun shone bright overhead amongst fluffy white clouds. He sat down and started the car, pulling away from the airport.

“Last night what happened between us,” he said. “That was real Evie, no matter what you think of me right now. That was real.”

ChapterTwenty-Five

---